Improvement in post-hole augers



G. FLETCHER.

PosT-HoLE AUGE'R. V No.181,659. PazennedAug.z9,1a7e.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

GEORGE FLETCHER, OF HUME, NEW YORK, ASSIGNOR OF ONEHALF HIS RIGHT TO B. L. BROOKINS, OF SAME PLACE.

IMPROVEMENT IN POST-HOLE AUGERS.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 181,659, dated August 29, 1876; application filed v J une 18, 1875.

To all 'whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, GEORGE FLETCHER, of Hume, county ot' Allegany, and State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in-Post-Hole Angers, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description, reference being made to the accompanying drawing, forming a part of this specification, and in which- Figure l is a perspective view; Fig. 2, a crosssection through the line x a: of Fig. l,

looking' toward the handle.

The object. ot my invention is the construcvtion of an instrument for boring postholes into the ground for Vthe purpose of setting fence-posts in the construction offences, or for setting telegraph poles, or for any other purpose where a round hole is required to be dug into the ground; and the invention consists in the general construction and arrangement ot' parts, as will be hereinafter fully described.

a a in the drawing represent two blades of an equal size, each blade being concave on one side and convex on the other, and formed from a thin plate of iron, steel, brass, or other suitable material, having a triangular form, the equal sides being arcs of circles having equal radii. These plates are curved, as shown in the drawing, forming at the upper end nearly a quarter circle. The arm b is immovable, and is of an oval form, and constructed of any suitable material, the ends of which are attened or swaged, and bent so as to give the required pitch to the blades. The

A shaft cis affixed to the middle of the bar b,

edges of the same, one of the blades is then secured to one end of the arm b, and the other blade to the other end of said arm, so that the concave sides of the blades are nearly facing, and approaching each other at their points. These blades are so secured to the arm b that the ends of the arms nearly bisect the upper ends of the blades at right angles. The two equal edges of each blade project slightly to the right or left, as may be desired, of the two equal edges of the opposite blade, as shown in Fig. 2. This is accomplished by securing' one end of the arm b to or on the right, and the other end of said arm toor on the left. The same result will be attained by riveting one of theA blades to one end of the arm at the right of the center of the upper end of the blade, and the other blade to the other end of the arm at the left of the center ofthe upper end of the blade. Now, it is evident that by holding the auger in a vertical position, with the point of the blades resting on the ground, and turning the same to the right or left, according to the position of the blades, the auger will penetrate the ground, and the edges of the blades that project out the farthest will cut the earth, which wilhpass to the inside of the blades, thereby making a round hole.

I claim as my invention- The shaft c, cross-arm b, and handle d, constructed as described, in combination With the blades a a', secured, respectively, to the ends of the arms b at the right and left of their centers, in the manner substantially as and for the purpose specified.

Dated May 15, 1875.

v GEORGE FLETCHER.

Witnesses:

L. D. HUBBARD, J. W. AYER. 

